Compound brake-cylinder.



Na. 747,772. PATENTBDDEG.22,-1903-.

R. L; RIG'KM'AN.

. COMPOUND BRAKE CYLINDER Arrnmmlon FILED FEB. 25, 1903. no MODEL.

m a 1 a w; 1" 11 m -f W 7 m WITNESSES: i t INVENTOi? 7 uses.

constructed in accordance with this inven- UNITE STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

"PATENT OFFICE;

ROBERT L. RICKMAN, OF VANCOUVER, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES 0. WHITE, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA,

GA NADA.

COMPOUND BR AKE-CYLINDER.

SPECIFICATIOA forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,772, dated December 22, 1903.

Application filed February 25, 1903. Serial No. 144.976.. (No model.)

2 0 an whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT L. RICKMAN, residing at Vancouver, in the county ,of'Vanconver, British'Columhia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compound Brake-Cylinders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the brake mechanism, such thatthe pressure exerted on the brake mechanism may be varied. The invention is capable of avariety of For example, with a brake-cylinder tion and interposed in the path of transmissiou of power to the brake mechanism of-a car, the braking pressure applied to such car may be adjusted to suit the load carried by the car. The invention will be especially useful on a mixed freight-tra'iu-that-is, a train of fr'eightcars, of which some are empty and some are loaded; The system nowin use makes no provision for a mixed train, inasmuch as the empty cars have the brakes applied by the same power with the same pressure a's-do thosethat are loaded. Under-such circumstances it is often necessary to apply such a braking force or pressure that theile spring 17, one end ofwhich bears against wheels on the empty cars will be locked,\vliereupon they are skid to the detriment both of the wheels and the rails, as is well known. The present invention obviates such disadvantage by providing means whereby the lot-akin; pressure applied to a particular car may be varied to suit the load on that car,

and itis especially advantageous in that this may be done without the necessity of any changed or modified action of the power-sup plying means.

An emhodiinentof the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which" r Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a brake-cylinder and related parts constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail. Y

As shown, the brake-cylinder has two'sections 1 and 2, which are of unequal diametors. The plunger or piston (designated generallyloy A) is provided with two heads 3 and 4 of diameters corresponding tothe sections 1 and 2 of the cylinder, respectively. These piston-heads are, as shown, preferably provided with packing leathers or. gaskets-5 and 6, which are clamped to the piston-heads by means of the plates 7 and 8, said plates being connected to the front faces of the piston-heads by screws, as shown, or otherwise. Expanding rings' 9 10, hearing against the inner surfaces of the packing-leathers, may also be used, if desired. The front end of the cylinder is closed by head 11, to'which is connected the supply-pipe 12. The piston A has an open recess extending from the rear to be connected in a well-known manner to one of the levers or other operating parts of an ordinary brake mechanism,works loosely within the guide-pipe 14. The rearendof thecylinder "is closed by a head 16, which is provided 'with .an aperture through which the guide-pipe 14 slides when the piston is pushed to the rear. Surrounding the pipe or tube 14 is a retractthe inner face of the head 16, while the other end bears against a shoulder in the recess of the-piston A, as at 18. As a convenient means for holding this spring in position when the head is removed for the purpose of cleaning or otherwise I provide two diametrically opposite holes 19 20 in the end of the pipe 14. When the head 16 is removed, the Workman bydropping a pin through the holes 19 and 20 rnay retain the spring in position until the head is'replaced, th'us obviating the disadvantage of having. to recompress the spring upon-replacing the head. The smaller and larger sections of the cylinder are connected by a pipe composed of sections 21 and without reference to the other cars or the however, it is {i 22, between which is located a coupling 23, which is provided with an air valve or cook 24-, having; therein a passage 25, adapted in one position to register with the pipes 21 and 22 and open the connection between the two sections of the cylinder and when in a second position to close said connection. The plug of the cook 2 has also a hole 26 therein at an angle to the main passage 25 in such position as to open communication between the outer air and'the larger section of the cylinder when the cock is closed. A lever 27 is shown asa convenient means for turning the cook 24.

In operation the actuating medium, which may be compressed air, steam, or other simi- .lar power adapted to be used in connection with :1 cylinder and piston, is admitted through the pipe120rthroughnny other sultahle pipe or valve connection against the front face of the piston. if it is desired to supply a comparat-ively reduced amount of braking pressure to the particular brake mechanism connected to push-liar 15,- as in the case oi. an empty car, the connection to the larger section ol the cylinder is closed and the lli(ll l" pressure which is transmitted throuch push-liar 15 will he propcn'tional to the. r en oi the smaller piston-head i. it,

sirahle to increase the cll'octire braking pressure, in the case of a hearily-lt dcd car, the connection between the two i trier-sections is opened, and the prcssu: ransmitted to the braking inech-au ism will then depend upon the area of the two piston-heads. The advantages of such construction in providing means whereby the braking pressure applied to each car or to any braking mechanism under the control of asingle cylinder may be varied or adjusted other liralre-cylinders or to the source of power will be obvious. l'tv will also he ohvious that many changes may be made in detail without departing from thespirit of this invention. As the relative position, number, and arrangement of the cyliodor-sections and piston-heads may he Varied, the connection or connections between the various cylindersections may be made in a variety ot Wa and the control of such connection or conneclions may he by hand or may be under the control of automatic mechanism dependint, for its operation upon the comparative load upon the car in order to provide against the negligence of trainmcn.

llnving dcscriliet'l my invention, what i claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters l. in combination,a brakdcylindcr having a plnrnill oi" sections, a plstonrod carrying pistonlnntds corresponding to caclrol' said soc-Limo, moans lorflsnpplyingr power to one reams of said sections, and power-transmission connection between said sections.

2. In combination, a brake-cylinder having a plurality of sections, a piston-rod carrying piston-heads corresponding to said sections, means for supplying power to one of said sections, a power-translnission connection between said sections, and means for control ling said powertransmission connection independently of the power-supply.

In combination, a brake-cylinder having a plurality of sections of unequal diameter, a piston-rod carrying piston-heads corresponding to said sections, means for supplying power to the one of said sections of least diameter, and a connection from said section to the other or others of said sections.

4-. in com liinatlon, a brake-cylinder having a plurality of sections of unequal diameter, a. piston-rod cart-yin piston-howlscorresponding to said sections, means for supplying power to the one of said sections of least diamcter, and a connection from said section to the other or others of said sections, said connection being controllable independently oi the power-sug'iply.

in combination, abralte-cylinder haviin, two sections of unequal diameter arranged in tandem with the smaller of said sectio s in advance, a piston-rod carrying, piston-heads correspondin; losaid sections, means for supplying: power to the first and smaller of said sections, and means for connecting the two sections whereby power may be transmitted from the first to the second. i

l. lncomhination,a braliecylinderhaving two sections of unequal diameter arranged in tandem with the smaller of said sections in advance, a pistoirrod carrying pistonheads corresponding to said sections, means for supplying power to the lirst and smaller of said sections, means for connecting, the two sections whcreliy power may be transmitted from the first to the second, and means for controlliin, said connection independently of the power-supply.

7. incombination,a lirnke-cylindorhaving l,Wt).-t.=t:lit.-il;-5,h piston having pisloinhondscorresponding, to each of said sect ions, at connection lit-tween said sections, a valve controlling; said connection, said valve having: two passages at an angle the one to tho other, such that by turning the valve, communion lion maylio cstallllsliotl lietwccn tho l\\'()(')'lindor-scctions, or such communication t-lost d and one of t ho cylindcr-soctions oponcd to the atmosplicro.

in testimony wltertoi l al'lix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ltfllllfl t'l Ii. llltsliM/ih'. it itncsscs: '1. ti. it. Mommas, N. t). HAWEHS. 

